Ahh, remember back when it used to take no less than five People reporters to file one story about Britney/Paris/Lindsay's latest one night stand?

Well, those days are long gone. And so are half the staff. After throngs of People people departed during Time Inc.'s involuntary mass exodus, it looks as though the head honchos are calling for even more budget cuts.

The streamlining of editorial duties continues at People, which has pruned its workforce as part of Time Inc.'s drive to cut 289 employees. The weekly has reorganized its Specials department, in charge of producing stellar newsstand performers like Sexiest Man Alive and Hottest Bachelors, so that the regular weekly staff will also produce the themed titles.

And if that's not enough, the Specials department even got booted from its luxe 29th floor space!

The Specials department used to sit on the 29th floor, but now its office will be taken up by People's Stylewatch staff. Stylewatch started as a column in the magazine but has grown to a ten-times-a-year spin-off and has its own staff helmed by editor Susan Kaufmann.

Yes, yes, who cares, but what will happen to Specials??

[Specials editor, Liz] Sporkin will continue to oversee Specials, though it is unclear if employees from the department will be dispatched to other People assignments.

Which means, once again, People's editorial staff is left cowering under their desks in ready anticipation of being unceremoniously fired.

And suddenly, it's the still-employed, overworked and underpaid freelancers who are having the last laugh.

Next on the triumphant freelancers' agenda? Health insurance.